What is turnips and how to grow this unusual root vegetable at home

Turnip is a fodder plant of the cabbage family. It is a fairly unpretentious crop that likes bright sunlight and moderate watering. Podzolic or loam soils with a pH of 5.0-6.5 are best suited for growing turnips.

Biennial plants first form a root crop and a rosette of leaves, and in the second year - flowers and seeds. In general, turnips are related to rutabagas and radishes. Experts told us how to grow turnips in the garden.

How to grow turnips

Sowing of turnips begins in April-May, and you can also plant them for long-term storage in the first decade of July. The seeds should be mixed with coarse sand in a ratio of 1:10 and sown in peat-manure pots. Finally, it is better to sprinkle them with a layer of sand (1-1.5 cm thick) and spray with water. You can also cover the crops with glass or film.

Then you should choose and separate the strongest seedlings carefully so as not to damage the root.

Which soil to choose

The best option for turnips is loam or podzol soil with a pH of 5.0-6.5. In the fall, you should dig it to a depth of 20-25 cm and add fertilizers: rotted manure (1 bucket per 3 square meters), one glass of wood ash or one and a half glasses of nitrophoska. Do not use fresh manure; the flesh will darken and lose its taste.

For planting, dig holes at a distance of 20-30 cm. The row spacing should be 40-60 cm wide. Place the seedlings together with an soil lump in the hole, cover with soil and water.

Caring for the turnip

Caring for turnips is simple: you just need to water the bed, loosen the soil, remove weeds and fertilize the plant.

Lack of moisture makes root vegetables bitter, but excessive moisture makes them watery. The optimal water consumption at the initial stage of growth is about 5-6 liters per square meter of the garden, and from the moment the fruit is formed, watering can be reduced to 3-4 liters per unit area. The weather makes adjustments to watering schedules. However, usually 1-2 waterings per week are enough.

How to fertilize the turnip

Fertilizing is recommended twice a season with a solution of bird droppings (in a ratio of 1:20) or mullein (1:10). In early summer, superphosphate should be added to the solution, which increases the sugar content of root crops.

Turnip responds well to fertilizers containing manganese, copper and boron. It is important to apply the components to moist soil, and after the solution is absorbed, the soil in the garden should be loosened.

Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.